Wrench



patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE y vJAMES B. ARBUCKLE, 0F CHARLEROI, AND WILLIAM DEIFER, 0F ONOBA,

PENNSYLVANIA WRENCH Application ined :une 1, 192s. serial mi. 282,192.

This invention has for its object the provision of a wrench which may be quickly and easily adjusted to the work upon which it is to operate and securely locked in adjustment.`

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the work may be quickly released, and a further object is to provide a mounting for the relatively stationary jaw which will avoid breakin@ strain upon the saddle or jawrsupport. T e invention is intended more particularl for embodiment in a ipe wrench and is so i lustrated but it may,

o course, be embodied in a. nut wrench withoilit involving any departure from its princies. ompanying drawing and will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a wrench embodying our present invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view ofthe relatively stationary jaw; i

Fig. 3 is a perspective'view of the saddle or main wrench body;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the cap which is secured over the saddle, and l Fig. 5 is a detail of the releasing trigger.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a wrench body or saddle 1 through which the shank 2 of the adjustable jaw 3 and the shank 4 of the jaw 5 areitted, the shank 4 being extended so as to be utilized as a lever or handle, as shown at 6 in Fig. 1. The opposed faces of the jaws 3 and 5 are formed with cooperating teeth 7 which are respectively reversed and are adapted to engage opposite sigles of a pipe and grip the same .in the Well known manner of pipe Wrenches. The shank 4 is provided with an offset 8 immediately adjacent the jaw 5 through which an opening 9 1s formedlto receive a pivot pin 10 inserted through the shank and corre;v sponding openings 11 formed in the sidesjof the saddle.- Theend of the jaw 5 presented vto the shank 2 is also notched or recessed, as

ing plane.

The invention is illustrated in the a'cindicated at 12, whereby it may span a slight rib 13 on the shank 2 and thereby aid in maintaining the two 'aws in the proper work- The saddle or wrench body' 1 comprises side plates connected between their ends by a partition web 14 which serves as a brace to reinforce thesaddle and also as a.

partition to separate tll'eshanks of the respective jaws-and prevent interference beltween the same. A leaf spring 15 is secured to one side of the shank 4 and bears against the web 14, while a similar spring 16 is disposed at the opposite side of said shank and is secured to the end of the jaw 5 with its free end bearing against the cross web 17 which connects the reduced ends of the side plates of the saddle. These springs 15 and 16 serve to prevent actual contact between the shank or handle member and the respective webs so that the breaking strain impartedto the saddle in the ordinary pipe wrench is avoided. The springs also facilitate the desired lratchet action iny the wrench whereby when moving inone direction the pipe will be engaged and when moving in the other direction the jaws will slip over the pipewithout turning the same.- At the end of the `saddle remote. from the'cross web 17, the side plates thereof are connected by spaced 'l bridges or cross blocks 18 andthe shank 2 of the movable jaw is inserted between the web 14 and said end blocks or bridges. The edge of the shank 2 presented to the bridges k18 is constructed with a series of transverse teeth 19 adapted to be engaged by the locking dog 20 whereby the jaw will be locked in a set position. The do 20 is a block of suit-v able size and form to t slidably between the lside plates of the saddle and between the bridging members 18 thereof, as shown clearl ly in Flg. 1 and it isprovided with 'a series of teeth 21 which are adapted to interengagevwith the teeth 19 of the shank2 to hold'the adjustable jaw in any-position in which it may beset. A headed pin or screw 22 is secured in the locking dog which is slightly countersunk, a. shown at 23, to provide a seat for an expansion spring 24 coiled around said pin or screw. Acap 25 is secured upon the bridging members 18 so as to span the same and this cap is formed with a seat 26 for the outer endof the spring 24 and with an opening 27 extending from said seat to accommodate the pin or screw 22. The cap is also provided at one end with spaced perforated lugs 28 between which is disposed the trigger 29, a pivot pin 30 being inserted through the trigger and the lugs 28 to attach the trigger to the cap. One end lof the trigger is tapered, as shown at 31, and is provided with a longitudinal notch 32 adapted-to engage around the pin or screw 22 beneath the head of the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 1,

' While the opposite end ofthe trigger is suitupon the trigger will release the dog from the around the pin or screw as the latter passes through the cap in an obvious manner. After the cap and dog have been assembled, the capis placed against the bridging members 18 ofthe saddlehand the securing screws 34 are then driven hometo secure thecap in place. The trigger is then tted to the cap with its taperedA end engaging under the pin', as j shown. The shank of the vadjustable j awis then inserted through the'saddle between-the web -14 and the bridging members 18 and it may be pushed as far as may be desired, the spring V24 yielding and permitting the locking dog to rise as the teeth of the shank passl across the same. When the adjustable jaw has been brought to the desired position, the spring7 24 will at once effect locking engagementv etween the dog and the shank so that the shank will be positively held against reverse movement. If it be desired to withdraw the adjustable jaw a slight pressure jaw shank so that the jaw may thenbe drawn lout from the saddle.

The wrench is fitted to the work by having the jaw 5 placed against the work and the jaw 3` then being adjusted in the described manner until it also engages the work. The handle is then swung'toward the left in Fig. 1 of the drawing whereupon the teeth 7. of the opposed jaws will firmly bind upon and grip the work so that the work must turn with the wrench. Upon reverse force being applied to the handle, lthe jaw 5 will rock slightly about its pivot 10 so that the Work will be 'released and permit the jaws to slide around the same to obtain a fresh grip thereon. The device, consequently, will operate as a ratchet wrench, being free of thework when the handle is moved in one direction and iirmly gripping the work when the handle is moved in the vopposite direction. In pipe` wrenches asnnow most generally constructed the handle impinges against the end of the saddle corresponding to the web 17 in our deviceand the force of the handle is transmitted to and through said element so that breakage occurs and the wrench is out of service for a greater or less period of time. With our device, this breakage is eliminated inasmuch as the spring 16 cushions the han dlev and prevents positive contact between the same andthe web'l?. Moreovelgthe end of 4 the jaw 5 presented to the shank 2 is of such form that a very limited movement of the jaw 5 about its pivotis permitted and the end of said jaw is caused to lock against the shankof the adjustable jaw,whereupon the two jaws will move as a `unit in turning the Work. Of course, when the working stroke is completed, the pivotedjaw will release its binding engagement-with the shank of the adjustable jaw to permit the return stroke without rotating the work. The locking dog whereby 'the adjustable jaw is held in a set position is housed within the saddle and the cap covering the same so that it is protected against chance blows which might break or otherwise damage the same while the trigger permits` the dog to be easily withdrawnfrom the shank when the work has been turned home.

Having thus described the invention, we claim: l A

A wrench comprising a saddle formed with longitudinally extending passages, one passage having a side passage opening through an endof the saddle, a cap removably secured to said saddle and closing the outer end of said side passage, jaws having Shanks extending through the longitudinal passages of said saddle, one shank being pivotally mounted adjacent the front of the saddle and extended rearwardly toV form a handle and the other slidable through the saddle and forned with rack teethv in a side edge face facing the side passage, a locking dog as wide as .the ShanksV are thick and substantially as long as the height ofsaid side'passage and slidable in said side'passage towards and away from the toothed face of the shank and maintained lon itudinally in place by the walls of the sie passage vand formed with teeth to engage with the `ateeth l'of Jthe shank and to secure the-shank in an adjusted posij tion, said dog being bodily removable through the end opening of the side passage, said dog and cap being formed with alined seats, a pin extending through the cap and engaged with said'dog and hailing a head at its outer end, a i

spring coiled about said pin and having its ends seated in said seats and serving to yieldably retain the dog in an operative position, and a trigger pivoted to said cap and having one end notched to receive said pin and formed with a convexed outer surface bearing against the head of the'pin whereby rock# ing ofthe trigger will move'the pin to draw the dog to a releasing position.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

JAMES B. ARBUCKLE. [1.. 5.] WILLIAM DEPFER.A [L. 5.] 

